Watehrpurrfyibtg apparatus



A. VAN VLOTEN.

WATER PURIFYING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2.1915.

1 ,195,537, Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

.2 SHEETSSHEET I.

WITNESSES.- A IN VENTOR.

A. van I /0 fen.

A TTORNEY.

A. VAN VLOTEN.

WATER PURIFYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1915.

1,195,537, PatentedAug. 22,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES:

IN VENTOR. A. ran /0 fe/z Y in apparatus used in the process of soften-ALLART VAN VLOTEN, 01 DENVER, COLORADO.

WATER-PURIFYING APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern: N Be it known that I, ALLART m; VLo'rEN, asubject of Wilhelmina, Queen of the Netherlands, having declared myintention to'become .a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver,in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Water-Purifying Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Thi invention relates to improvements 1 ing or purifying water bychemical precipitation, and its primary object resides in pro vidingasystem of devices which coiiperate to'purify the water by the action ofreagents and circulate the purified water through a' distributing systemwithout the use of mechanical agitating .or stirring means,'appliancesfor measuring the chemicals, 'or a special distribution pump.

Another object of my inventionresides in' improvements in theconstruction of the precipitation and filtering tank of the systemwhereby its operation is'at once simplified and expedited.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists inforcibly introducing the raw water and the chemical re-' agents, usuallylime (Ca()) and sal-soda.

(NA CO by means of separate, coacting pumps, either into a reaction tankwhich communicates with one or more precipitation tanks, or directlyinto one of the latter. The uniform action of the pumps which operate inunison by connection with a common driving medium, causes them to supplythe water and the chemicals continu ously in predetermined proportionsand to thus obviate the use of measuring devices commonly used insystems of this character. The pumps by forcibly introducing thedifferent liquids simultaneously and separately into the reaction tankor into the precipitation tank, produce a vortex and a consequentthorough intermixture of the raw water and the chemicals whichrendersthe employment of mechanical agitating or *stir- 7 ring devicesunnecessary. The pumps also operate to force the purified water throughthe service pipes comprised in the distribution system, and thus performthe function of the distributing pump usually in- Specification ofLetters Patent. Patented Aug. 22, 1916 Application filed June 2, 1915.Serial No. 31,666. 4

In Figure 1 of the drawings is showna plan view of the tanks, pumps andconduits comprised inmy improved system. Fig. 2-;

represents a vertieal section of the improved precipitation andfiltering tank of the sys tem and shows the method by which the rawWater and chemicals may be directly intro -duced thereinto, and Fig. 3,is a section taken along the line 33, Fig. 2.

Referring first to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the improved precipitationand filtering tank 2 has a funnel-shaped bottom portion 3, whichterminates in a spout 4 the flow through which is controlled by-means ofa valve 5 of suitable construction. The tank is closed at its top by acover 6 which has a central outlet for the discharge of the purifiedwater into a pipe 7 of the distribution system. Near the top of the tankis a partition 8 composed of a suitable filtering medium which separatesany impurities remaining in the water after the precipitation process,before it is discharged from the tank. The funnel-shaped bottom portionof the tank constitutes a mixing and sediment chamber 9 in which theprecipitates collect and which is separated from the upper or bodyportion of-the tank by concentrically disposed bafiles 10 and 12. Thelowermost bafile 10 is made in the form of a hollow cone the base ofwhich is spaced from the interior surface of the chamber to provide anarrow passage 13 for the up-flowing water, and the other baflle 12which is annular and concave in section is tank.

The raw water andchemical reagents are introduced into the sedimentchamber either separately or in intermixture and are forced through themass of sediment collected in the chamber, which forms avery efi'ectivenatural filter. The impuritiescontained in tated in the sediment chamberand the water thus softened and purified rises through the passages intothe body portion of the tank and after passing through the filter 8, isdis. charged into the egress-pipe 7 The bafiles 2' i i 1,1e5,5'37

not-only retain the water for a sufficient- 'PGI'lOd'ilO complete theprecipitation process, but .they serve to prevent a too sudden up- .essis continued, with the result that when the liquid enters the body ofwater in the" upper portion of .the tank throughthe passages l4 and 15,it is evenly distributed and rises with the same at a uniform velocity.The formation of a rapidly rising currentof water-is thus prevented andall the water entering the sediment chamber is retained a period sufiicient for the complete precipitation of its impurities by chemicalreaction, irrespective; of the temperature at which it islsupplied.

The precipitates accumulating in the settling chamber are removed fromtime to time by opening the valve 5 in the outlet pipe 4 and thebafi'ies have in their upper fports of which are respectively connected"surfaces apertures-for the escape of air.

In the system shown in Fig. 2 the reference numeral 16 designates thesal-so da supply -tank, and 17 the tank containmgthe lim& I l

The chemical solutions are drawn from the tanks and forced into thesediment chamber of the precipitation tank by-means I of pumps 18 and 19, the intake and outlet with the tanks 16, 17 and 2 by means. of pipes21, 22 and'23. A third pump 24 which is connected. with,theprecipitation tank .means of a pipe 25- is provided to draw thewater from a source of supply through an v duced into the settlingchamber iniseparate.

intake pipe 26. It willbe readily seen-that the three liquids being thusforcibly introstreams, must necessarily produce a vortex,

which efiects a thorough intermixture of the water with the solutions ofthe reagents and thus expedites. the process of precipitation.

In the system illustrated in Fig. 1, the pumps deliver the water andchemicals into a reaction tank 26. in which they are mixed by the'abovedescribed method before entering the precipitation tank. -The principalobject of this modification in my system-is to permit theuse of twoprecipitation tanks which may becleaned separately with"? outinterfering with the- How of water through the system. vWith this objectin.

. view, the reaction tank is connected with two precipitation tanks Fbymeans of pi cs" 27 the flow of liquidthrough which tan dis-' continuedby the adjustment of valves 28."

In theoperation-of the system, one of'these valves is closed while theother is open and to clean the tank which is in operation, it is butnecessary to reverse the position of the two valves '28. v

Fig. 2 also shows the connection of the three pumps with a drivingmedium through the intermediary of aline shaft 28, pulleys 29, and belts30 whereby they are com 4 "pelled to move synchronously. atpredetermined. velocities which are inv ratio to the capacities of thepumps and the quantities i of chemicals required for the completeprecipitation of the impurities in a determinate amount of water;-Having thus for softening 'an'd-purifying' water, it L-will bereadilyunderstood that the same maybe used with equal results for thepurification .of any other. liquid which requires precipidescribed theconstruction and arrangement of my improved apparatus tation by means ofchemical reagents, and

that if the apparatus is used in a hot water system, "the water may. beheated before entering the precipitation and filtering tank.

The pumps which-measure the liquids and effect their thoroughintermixture'also'force the purified water throughthe service pipes ofthe system and they thus take theplace of the mechanical stirring'andmeasuring devices andthe distribution pump usually included in systemsof the character to which my invention appertains'. t 1 e Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim and desireto secure byLetters-Patentis: I '1 I 1. In apparatus for the purification of water,a precipitation tank having atits bottom, a mixing chamber and abovesaid cham-' her, a hollow cone spaced from'the interior surfaceofthetank to provide 'a restricted passage for the upfl'owing liquid, aconcave annulus spaced from'the interior surface of i the tank above thecone, and means for in? iic troducing into the mixingchamber chemicalreagents and water under treatment.

chamber,fa hollow cone spaced fromthe concave. annulus spaced from theinterior surfaceof the tank and the exterior surface of tlie cone, andmeans for introducing into 2. In apparatus .for the purificationi ofwater, a precipitation tankhaving at its bottom, a mixing chamber andabove said k interior surface ofthe tank to provide a re- Y strictedpassagegfor the upflowing' liquid, av

the mixing chamber chemical reagents and v water under treatment. I 3.]Apparatus for'the purification of. wa-

ter comprising a precipitation tank having in its top an -outlet forpure liquid under ;pressure,'-' abafle'p'roviding :a cone-shaped gpocketiforth'e retention of upwardly flowing fluid, and spaced atits edgefrom'the inner surface of thetank, a second baflle provlding anannularpocket for the retell-- '5 communicating by a narrow passage, and

g v 1,195,537 vs3 tion of up-flowing fluid, above the said in the ccnlpartm ent the intermixture of inspace, said baflies coiiperating todivide. said -jected fluids; A v

- tank into an upperor settling compartment In testimony whereof I haveafiixed my I and a shallow lower gr mixing compartment signature inpresence of a witness.

devices .for the supply of fluids under presi V L A VLOTEN sure,connected with said lower ecmpartment :Witness: 1 Y v v atjuxtaposedpoints whereby to effect with- -d G J ROLLANDET; I

